knuckleball
noun
knuck·le·ball
ˈnə-kəl-ˌbȯl 
: a slow baseball pitch that moves erratically and unpredictably and that is thrown with little spin by gripping the ball with the knuckles or the tips of the fingers pressed against the top
Examples of knuckleball in a Sentence
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Wood was thrust into the starting role in 1971 and did his best to perfect the knuckleball to put less stress on his throwing arm.
—
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Jan. 2026
The palm ball, like the knuckleball, doesn’t rotate.
—Joe Knowles, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
Then, Fletcher tried something rogue, becoming a knuckleball pitcher in the Braves' minor-league organization early in the season last year.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
One theory has been that a new approach to kickoffs, with a knuckleball style to take advantage of the extra 5 yards of room to force a return, has led to kickers approaching field goals differently.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knuckleball
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Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 19 Jan. 2026
The palm ball, like the knuckleball, doesn’t rotate.
—Joe Knowles, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
Then, Fletcher tried something rogue, becoming a knuckleball pitcher in the Braves' minor-league organization early in the season last year.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
One theory has been that a new approach to kickoffs, with a knuckleball style to take advantage of the extra 5 yards of room to force a return, has led to kickers approaching field goals differently.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for knuckleball
Cite this Entry
“Knuckleball.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knuckleball. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
knuckleball
noun
knuck·le·ball
ˈnək-əl-ˌbȯl
: a baseball pitch gripped with the knuckles or fingertips and thrown with very little spin
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